Mandarin Duck

Found sparingly in winter.

........Aix galericulata. Formerly fairly common in Chekiang.

Siberian White-eyed Duck ...Fuligula baeri. Scarce in its appearance, but when met with seems to be numerous.

Three species of Mergansers, or Sawbills, are common,-all three European :

Red-breasted Merganser...... Mergus serrator. A coast bird, rare at Shanghai, and not found

Smew

inland.

CHAPTER VI.

NOTES ON DOGS.

BY THE EDITOR.

THE BEST DOG FOR SHOOTING PURPOSES IN CHINA.

EW questions relating to shooting matters in this part of the world have been, or are, more frequently the subject of discussion than the apparently very simple, and certainly the very natural, one "What is the best kind of dog for general sporting purposes in North-China?" With the multiplicity of answers the inquirer finds himself more and more perplexed; and the reason is not far to seek, for partiality, which is an ever-changing sentiment, must necessarily influence the nature of the reply to what is, after all, a very sentimental inquiry. The real fact is that there can be good dogs of all kinds, but there is the tendency in the owner who loves his dog to "be to his virtues very kind and to his faults a little blind," and to consider him perfection. Differences of opinion naturally enough exist as to the most suitable dog for this country, and as every individual supposes himself to have the best dog in China, of whatever breed or character it may chance to be, those differences are likely to continue. However, at the risk of provoking some criticism, the following suggestions are offered as an attempt at a reasonable solution of the question.

In China, as elsewhere, the four descriptions of dogs in general use are retrievers, spaniels, setters and pointers. They are placed in this order merely that the analysis of their merits and demerits may the more easily be followed, and that the reasons for the preference of the one kind of animal over the other more clearly shown. It is not intended here to do other than glance at some of the more prominent of a dog's points, for this question in all its fulness may be found discussed in the standard works of Stonehenge, Rawdon Lee, Idstone and Dalziel.

RETRIEVERS.

"His busy nose the steaming vapour sniffs
Inquisitive; foot by foot he makes

His winning way."-SOMERVILLE.

It will be only necessary here to take note of one kind of retriever, the black, flat-coated kind, for the objections that may be raised against him can only be intensified when applied to the curly-coated description.

Admitting to the fullest that a retriever is a wonderfully sagacious dog, and that he is capable of affording lots of sport, yet the following objections may be found to weigh against him and long haired dogs generally.

In the first place, rheumatism is by no means an uncommon complaint in China, and no animal renders itself more liable to this ailment than one that is difficult and troublesome to dry. A dog has to negotiate a lot of "water business" in the course of a day's shooting in these provinces. He often returns

to the boat wet, only to be turned over to the tender mercies of a coolie, who performs the essential duties of drying and grooming in any but a thorough manner; so that the animal not only may be sent to bed wet himself, but be an active cause of discomfort to his kennel companions. Besides, retrievers generally hold so much water in their coats as to render themselves a perfect nuisance when crossing creeks in sampans or dinghies. Further than this, the very nature of their jackets renders them specially liable to collect the grass and other seeds, "fruitful cause of so much woe." Finally, retrievers from their size and weight constantly find themselves in trouble when working brambly cover; are invariably clumsy in their attempts at extrication from tangled beans and similar crops; and, as a rule, are not only slow in setting to work to bring back a wounded bird, but slower still in returning with the quarry. Such are the more prominent objections to this class of dog.

Still, should a sportsman elect to have a retriever in this country, he might with advantage have regard to the following simple points:-The dog's coat should be jet black and lie very flat, no curl whatever being admissible. The head should be long, with a squarish, not a pointed muzzle, the ear small, the neck "airy," and the tail carried below the level of the back. Above all he should stand low.

SPANIELS.

"Puzzling the entangled copse: and from the brake

Push forth the whirring pheasant."-SOMERVILLE.

By far the most numerous class of sporting dogs in China are the spaniel descriptions. They run in all sorts of shapes and sizes and colours, and for the most part are of the most mixed origin. Seldom is a really well-shaped spaniel seen out here, less frequently a well-broken one. In the open country they are of but little use, as the speedy pheasant can easily run away from them; in a cane-brake they are not big enough to get over or strong enough to force their way through the thick tangle which lies at the foot of the cane stalk; and it is seldom that one comes across a dog that will work a copse in anything like a systematic manner. Still, if spaniels were taken in hand early, were taught to work the covers properly, and restricted to that particular kind of shooting, it might be just as well to own one. A brace of busy well-broken spaniels is a pretty sight, no doubt, but one quite unknown in these parts. Yet should the sportsman determine on a Spaniel he would probably be on the right track if he secured a dog with some of the unmistakable Clumber strain in him. Clumbers are slow, but they are pretty sure and very strong, and being flat-coated, for any curl is indicative of a cross,-are better adapted for working undergrowth than any other kind of spaniel; and the bigger and heavier the dog the better, for a threepound fluttering cock pheasant is no mean mouthful. Other great drawbacks to spaniels are that their long ears and full coats are certain seed-traps, and require a large amount of care to keep clean and dry.

At length the tainted gale

SETTERS.

His nostrils wide inhale, quick joy elates
His beating heart, which, awed by discipline

Severe, he dares not own, but cautious creeps

Low cowering, step by step: at last attains
His proper distance, there he stops at once
And points with his instinctive nose upon
The trembling prey."-SOMERVille.

From time to time some capital setters have been seen in China-handsome, well-bred and in some instances, well-broken dogs of nearly all the recognised breeds-Laveracks, Llewellyns, Gordons and Irish; of the two last kinds Shanghai can still boast of some good examples,-" surpassingly beautiful," as Idstone enthusiastically describes them. In a less degree, because his coat lies flatter, but still to some extent, the

same objections that have been advanced against the retriever and spaniel apply to the graceful setter. Seeds will find their way into his feet and ears and armpits, and the thick hair between his toes; and when it is remembered that one cruel grass-seed between the toes is enough to lame a dog, and one seed in the ear quite sufficient to set up an annoying cankerous discharge, the reasonableness of not shooting over a valuable animal until the seeds have been rendered harmless by the frosts should be willingly admitted; and if one's setter is only to be available for shooting purposes for a couple of months in the year at most, the question of expense alone is one worth a passing consideration. One point in favour of setters is that they are hardier dogs than pointers, especially the Irish dogs, and they are certainly more companionable.

POINTERS.
Scent struck,

With lifted paw, stands stiffened."

The preceding objections have been raised not against the virtues of the dogs enumerated but against the unsuitableness of their coats for work in this climate until the cover lightens and the seeds are down. Something may be done towards mitigating the seed evil by working the dogs in canker-caps, but still their necks and feet are ever open to the reception of the fell annoyance. Now, pointers may be said to go harmless through these trials: seeds very seldom get into their ears, and are without much difficulty extracted from their feet, while the "set" of the short hair of their coats is not favourable to their lodgment.

What seems to be required for shooting throughout a season is a strong, well-broken, but, perhaps, not too highly-bred pointer: one that will take the water, face the thick covers, and possibly retrieve; and there are such dogs in the place. The coats of some setters lie very flat, and they are the next best dogs to pointers; but the long-haired varieties, all good and useful in their way, had better not be taken up-country until they can work the covers with impunity to themselves. A sentimental objection to pointers is that they are not so companionable as the other breeds, which is true to a certain extent; but it must be remembered that when a pointer is on business he means business, and that is exactly what he is wanted for. In choosing a pointer, always try to get one with sloping shoulders, long, airy neck, a deep but not broad chest, and a loin, arched, very wide, strong and muscular. Some useful pointers occasionally arrive here from Germany. For the most part they are well educated and good at retrieving, but they run big and heavy, and are too much given to "pottering." A last word may be said in favour of the pointer: he can be worked from the beginning to the end of the shooting season, whereas it is little less than cruelty to take a spaniel or a setter out before December.

If the foregoing considerations are anything worth, the reasonable answer to the question this chapter commenced with is that the pointer is the best dog for shooting purposes in North-China.

KENNELING, FEEDING, GROOMING, EXERCISE.

Holding firmly the belief that "prevention is better than cure," it will, perhaps, be accounted a more rational way of proceeding if the inquiry be here made into the best way of keeping a dog in good health, before entering upon the graver matter of restoring him to it. He, then, that would have his dog in good health should personally see

Ist, that he is well kenneled;
2nd, that he is well fed;

3rd, that he is well groomed; and
4th, that he is well exercised.

KENNELING.

It is all important that a good dog should be well housed, for housing plays no insignificant part in the subsequent education of the animal. A dog accustomed to comfortable quarters is much more likely to be a stronger, healthier and kinder animal in the field than one about whose domestic comforts not much care has been taken. For all practical purposes the ordinary wooden kennel will do well enough; but it should be raised off the ground, have a roof that will lift completely off for the purpose of cleansing, and the entrance should be at one of the long sides, to prevent the ingress of rain or wind, and not in front, as is generally seen. Though the kennel should ordinarily be placed in some sheltered corner, consideration will dictate that it should be constantly moved during the summer months, that its inmate may get the benefit of any cool corner.

In winter the litter may be well confined to straw, of which there is ever a cheap and abundant supply in any part of the country. In summer bare boards are good enough, but if some kind of bedding is thought necessary, common Foochow pole shavings will answer every purpose, especially if they are occasionally sprinkled with spirits of turpentine, which will have the effect, if not of entirely removing, at least of mitigating that great nuisance-fleas. Once a fortnight the kennel should be swilled down with boiling water, well scrubbed with strong carbolic or other disinfecting preparation, and then perfectly dried before the bedding is replaced. On no account should the dog be returned to his house before it is absolutely dry. Dogs are particularly fond of lying on some elevated place, and a little gratification in this respect does them a world of good. Could anything be better than the common native bamboo bench?

FEEDING.

"Infinite variety" is a short way of describing the nature of the food most suitable to the dog in China. Biscuits, Indian corn meal, table scraps, stale bread, garlic, sweet potatoes, turnips, and dandelion when up country, vegetables of all kinds well boiled, and good strong soup poured over them. Oatmeal and rice may be occasionally offered, but the former is rather a scouring diet, and the latter some say contains too little nourishment. Rice and curry, not too highly seasoned, is a dish dogs will often eat when they will partake of no other. Once a fortnight the meal might consist of raw beef chopped rather fine. Remember that the natural food of the dog is flesh. Large bones, especially if eaten on the ground, are useful both as teeth cleansers and as stimulating the digestive organs.

Two meals a day-a light one in the morning and a heavier one in the eve ing-will be found necessary for dogs in work; but one meal a day will be sufficient for any dog during the summer, when he takes but little exercise. Salt with food is a sine quá non, and a constant supply of clean, cold water is de rigueur. A dog should be allowed to eat as much as he can at the evening meal, but the dish should be immediately removed when once he has left it. If very tired it is a good plan to offer the dog food after he has slept for an hour or two-in other words, do not let the dog go hungry during the night and then expect him to be fresh in the morning. Strict regularity in the hours of feeding ought to be observed, and the food, not actually cold, should be offered in an absolutely clean dish.